Dust-proof collapsible wardrobe for berths.



H. 0. GRIPPEN. DUST PROOF UOLLAPSIBLE WABDBOBB FOR BBBTHS.

APPLIoA'rxoN rILnD manso. mxo.

e Patented Sept 19,1911.

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3mm/tte@ H. 0. Crppen/ wml.. l w i OLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH C0.. WASIIIANGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT 0. CRIPPEN, OF SANFORD, FLORIDA.

DUST-PROOF COLLAPSIBLE WARDROBE FOR BERTHS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT O. CRIPPEN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Sanford, in the county of Orange and tate of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Proof Collapsible Wardrobes for Berths, of which the followingis a specification.

It is well known that one of the most disagreeable factors incidental to traveling by rail at night is the inconvenience resulting from the fact that the facilities of the ordinary sleeping car berths, as heretofore constructed, are very inadequate for the proper disposal of ones wearing apparel, and with a knowledge of these conditions my invention has for its primary object an improved dust proof collapsible or folding wardrobe .for sleeping car berths which is constructed of comparatively few parts that 'may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled and which will be efficient in operation, so that the wardrobe may be easily and detachably secured in the window-frame or to a division or separating board of a berth, whereby the passengers may have at hand ready means and a contrivance in which the apparel may be placed, the garments being kept from einders and other dust and being maintained in relatively smooth condition, free from the wrinkles and other disarrangements which are now accepted almost universally as one of the necessary evils accom anying traveling by night.

l ith this and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain construct-ions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of one form or embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through one form of the device; and, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the framework of another form or embodiment.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved wardrobe which is designed particularly for use in connection with sleep- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 30, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911. serial No. 579,684.

ing car berths, comprises complementa] frames 1 and 2 which may be formed in any desired way and of any desired shape, and connected together in a collapsible manner by any desired lneans. In that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the frame 1 is connected to the frame 2 by artieulated links 3, of which there may be any desired number, arranged in any desired relation to cach other. In addition to the framework thus formed, the invention comprises side, rear, bottom and top coverings for the framework, the same being designated 4, and constructed of any suitable fabric which will be dust proof and sufficiently flexible and secured to the framework in any desired way to permit one frame to be extended with respect to the other to form a compartment for the reception of wearing apparel and to also permit one frame to be collapsed or folded upon the other when the device is not required for use. The bottom of the compartment thus formed may obviously in the extended relation of the parts, produce a pocket, wherein the smaller articles of the toilet or apparel may be stowed, and in addition to such pocket or ledge, the device preferably embodies any desired number of pockets 5, the openings of which face upwardly and which are secured to the rear of the device. In addition, the device includes vertically extending side strips 6 at the front, and a flexible curtain or shade 7 which is adapted to wind up upon a spring roller 8 and which is designed to have its side edges overlap the front strips 6 when the curtain is drawn down, whereby to effectually exclude dust. In order to hold the curtain in its lowered or operative position, I have provided in the present instance a loop or eye 9 which is secured to the edge strip of the curtain, as shown, and which is designed for detachable engagement with a hook or other keeper 10 secured to a bottom strip 11 at the front of the wardrobe. Near the upper' edge of the back, the latter is provided with a transversely extending strip or bar 1Q to which any desired number of clothes hanging hooks 13 are secured, and if desired there may be suspended from this bar, in addition to the hooks 13, a trousers supporting clamp 14 of any desired construction or design. In t-he applied position of the device, the same is preferably extended within the window of a lower berth and is held in the window-frame in a detachable manner, as by spring pressed latches 15 which are adapted to project outwardly into engagement with the grooves of the ordinary window sash or with the ordinary curtain grooves wit-h which these windows are provided.

In that form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, 1a and 2a designate the complemental frames, which in this embodiment of this invention are connected together by pivoted links 3a, whereby one frame may be folded readily upon the other by a swinging movement, in the nature of a folding parallelogram, instead of by the articulated links 3 before specified. Fig. 3 also shows that if desired the vertical bars of the frame 2 may be reinforced by a lower transverse bar 16 and vertical transverse bars 17 near the sides, any desired number of cross braces 18 being employed and the parts being riveted 0r otherwise secured together, as de sired. These vertical strips or bars 17 form backings for the front strips 6 of the fabric with which the device is provided, and preferably the upper ends of the bars 17 turn laterally, as indicated at 17a and are secured to the sides of the frame 2a so as to not only reinforce the parts but provide sockets for the reception of the shade roller 8. Preferably, in this formof the invention, the flexible covering is somewhat loose at the top, as

indicated in dotted lines to provide for the folding movement of one frame upon the other. It is also preferred to provide curved braces 18a connecting the upper ends of the bars 17 with the top cross bar of the frame 2a so as to assist in reinforcing the parts.

Then the device is used for an upper berth, for instance, it is obvious thatthe spring latches or other means used to support the device in an operative position,

may be engaged with eyes 0r staples secured to the boards which divide or separate one section from the adjacent section.

It is to be noted that my invention is not limited to the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A collapsible wardrobe comprising a front, a back, means for foldably connecting the front and back togethenbottom, side and top coverings of flexible material connected to the front and back, the front being frame-like in vstructure and including top and bottom cross bars and pairs of inner and outer side bars, the upper ends of the inner side bars being deliected laterally outwardly in spaced relation to the top cross bar and being secured to the adjacent outer side bars, curved braces secured to and eX- tending between the top cross bar and the deiected ends of the inner side bars, a spring roller mounted in the upper ends of the outer side bars and received in the curved braces and in the spaces between said deflected ends and the top cross bar, a curtain connected to the spring roller, and strips of material secured to and extending between the inner and outer side bars and adapted to be overlapped by the side edge portions of the curtain.

In testimony whereof, I aliiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'HERBERT o. oRIPrEN. [L sj Witnesses: I

W. N. lVooDsoN, FREDERICK S. STITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

